Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini will not go down without a fight

The Zulu king has again called on his people to defend tribal lands against expropriation.

PIETERMARITZBURG, SOUTH AFRICA  FEBRUARY 28: King Goodwill Zwelithini during the official opening of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature at Pietermaritzburg Show grounds on February 28, 2017 in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Traditional attire and formal wear was the order of the day as King Goodwill Zwelithini opened the KZN legislature. (Photo by Gallo Images / The Times / Thuli Dlamini)

Zulu King Zwelithini has urged his people to make their voices heard at an imbizo in Ulundi on Wednesday. The meeting concerns conflicts between the land expropriation act and the Ingonyama Trust.

It’s not the first time King Zwelithini has voiced his concerns and criticisms on the issue of land expropriation. The Zulu leader has been vocal in defence of the Ingonyama Trust, which is traditional tribal land under his custodianship.

The land expropriation act threatens the sovereignty of this tribal land, with governmental power players calling for the land to be ceded to, and managed by, the State.

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City Press reported that Zwelithini issued a statement concerning the imbizo through the Zulu royal press office, saying:

“His Majesty wants his people to personally make their submissions so that there are no two ways about what they would like to see being decided upon in order to send an unequivocal message to the powers that be.”

Zwelithini has already warned the powers that be about the dangers of expropriating tribal land. In May he cautioned the ANC, telling them to keep their hands off land managed by traditional leaders. The King told the government that expropriation of such land would benefit no one.

Tribal lands an issue of life and death to Zulu people

Zwelithini remains adamant that traditional leaders should own and manage tribal land. He said that the issue was a matter of life and death to the people:

“Without land, what will people cultivate, where will they live, what will they eat and when all is said and done, where will they be buried?”

The Zulu monarch sees the plan to expropriate land as a dire threat to the traditions, culture and livelihoods of Zulu people. He has been clear that there will be consequences if the land is taken away from him.

In closing, Zwelithini called on all Zulu people, both young and old, to attend the imbizo, saying:

“Decisions that will have far-reaching effects for generations to come cannot and should not be left to a chosen few that could be steering an agenda does not serve the custodians of the people affected by the proposed changes.”